Next Wednesday
by Pir8grl
Summary: The TARDIS returns for Clara the Wednesday following the events of NiS. OK, I did it again. I thought I was done, then I figured out how to use an idea that didn't quite fit into the first bit. :-)
1. Chapter 1

Clara hurried out to the TARDIS, eager to see the Doctor again, and wondering what extraordinary things he had planned for today. She was a little surprised that he hadn't stepped out to greet her, or at least open the door. She gave the doors a little halfhearted push, expecting to find them locked, as usual. Clara was very startled when they swung inwards at her light touch. _'Weird,' _she thought.

"Doctor?" she called out, stepping inside. "It's me…where are you?" The Doctor was nowhere in sight, so Clara shut the doors and dropped her bag, wondering where he could be. "I don't suppose you have any ideas?" she murmured to the empty control room. Not really expecting an answer, Clara set off down the corridor, walking until she came to an intersection. "Great," she muttered, "now which way?"

One branch of the corridor was suddenly brightly illuminated.

"OK, now you're spooking me. Since when are you so obliging?" The more she considered that, the less Clara liked the answers that were presenting themselves. "Is he all right?" she asked, as another section of hallway lit up in front of her. Eventually she found herself standing in front of a closed door. "In here, is he?" The door opened and Clara laid a hand gently on the wall. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Doctor? Are you in here?" Clara stepped inside the most amazing library she'd ever seen. The ceiling soared impossibly high to arch up into skylights, and the books! She'd never seen so many in one place. If she wasn't by now desperately worried about the Doctor, she could lose herself in that library for months…maybe even years.

As she wandered deeper into the library, Clara began to experience the strangest sensation that she'd been there before…except…she knew quite well that she hadn't. This was quite simply the most spectacular library she'd ever seen or heard of. If she'd been here before, she was certain that every detail would be firmly imprinted on her memory, not this incredibly vague… She shook her head. **_What_** was the matter with her? She needed to find the Doctor.

A stunning, freestanding globe caught Clara's attention next. It appeared to be made of black marble, with continents represented by some sort of dull red stone flecked with gold. The main feature of the globe was a perfect, unbelievably tiny model of a city enclosed in a shining glass dome. She touched it gently, turning it slightly on its axis, then turned her attention back to the matter at hand - locating the Doctor in a library the size of an entire university.

A flicker of warm light drew Clara's eye, and she shrugged and followed it, eventually coming to an enormous stone fireplace. The Doctor was seated on a couch upholstered in crimson damask, staring intently into the depths of the fire. A smart remark about showing off died on her lips as she took in his appearance - tie missing, collar undone, dark rings under his eyes…

She touched his arm lightly. "Doctor?"

The Doctor's head snapped around, but the expression in his green eyes was dull. "Clara, what are you doing here?"

"It's Wednesday, remember? We have a date. Er, well, not a date, exactly, but…"

"Right. Wednesday. Of course. Where d'you want to go today?" he asked with forced cheer.

Clara looked at him dubiously. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me how long it's been since you last slept."

"Time Lord - superior biological form - don't need as much sleep as you lot."

"But you do need some sleep, right? So how long has it been? Have you gotten any rest at all since the last time I saw you?"

"Well, strictly speaking…"

"That's what I thought," Clara said, sitting down next to him. "Talk to me, Doctor."

"Nothing to talk about, really."

"OK, now I know something's wrong. You never shut up for half a second. Is it that thing that was inside your head? Did it hurt you?"

"No, nothing like that. It just...dredged up some bad memories, that's all."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Clara asked sympathetically.

The Doctor sighed, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "What do you remember about the Battle of Canary Wharf?"

"Not much, actually. My Gran, she…well, she used to have these dreams, sometimes, and very strong feeling about things. She was terrified of the ghosts, and she managed to convince my dad to take me to her place, out in the country. We spent most of that day hiding in the cellar. Not very brave, I suppose."

"But very smart. I'm glad you did." He reached out to take her hand.

"You were there, though, weren't you? Right in the middle of it all."

"Yes, I was. Right in the middle of the Cybermen, and the Daleks, and ruptures in the fabric of time and space…the entire unholy mess."

"There were Cybermen there?"

"Yes. That's what the ghosts really were. Cybermen that had broken through from an alternate universe."

Clara laid her other hand on top of his. "Doctor…a lot of people died there. Did you…did you lose someone?"

"I was trying desperately to protect someone that day…someone very precious to me, and her family, as well, so seeing the Cybermen threatening you and the kids…"

"It **_really_** pushed your buttons. But you fought free of that thing. You saved us." Clara tucked her legs up underneath herself on the couch, scooting in a bit closer to the Doctor's side.

"I think we saved each other, Clara Oswald. Who was it that managed to find a defensible place, and keep the platoon from blowing up the planet, eh?" He reached across with his free hand to tenderly stroke the side of her face, then pressed his lips to her forehead, before gently pressing her head against his shoulder. "My Clara," he whispered.

"What happened to your friend, and her family?"

"They're safe," the Doctor assured her. "Together in the alternate universe."

"You saved them, too."

"I suppose I did, but at a price. That other universe…it's sealed off. I can't ever see her again."

"I'm sorry," Clara murmured, pierced to the heart by the sorrow in his voice. "Are you afraid of nightmares? Is that why you haven't slept?"

He nodded, his eyes slipping shut as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Come on, then," Clara announced, coming to a sudden decision. She gently tugged the Doctor towards herself, until he was resting with his head in her lap. "You rest now. I'm here, and I'll wake you if you start to have a bad dream."

"Clara-" he began to protest, although he couldn't say he was unhappy with his new location.

"Shush! You have **_got_** to get some sleep. I'm not about to let you pilot us into the middle of a supernova because you dropped from exhaustion."

"Bossy," he muttered.

"That's me," she agreed cheerfully. "Bossy, not pretty, and a funny nose."

"No, you're not pretty," the Doctor mumbled, in a voice right on the edge of sleep, "You are **_beautiful_**."


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor blinked, then slowly moved to sit up, wondering what had woken him. Of course…a voice, a real voice this time, not a memory.

"Hey…where d'you think you're going?" Clara asked, gently trying to restrain him.

"Just want to sit up…you can't be very comfortable."

"Well…I am a bit squished."

The Doctor sat up, wrapping his arm around Clara's shoulders and settling her in against his side. "Better?"

"Mmm," she agreed, stretching her legs with obvious relief. "And you?"

"Better. Thank you."

Clara was happy to notice that the Doctor's eyes had regained their usual sparkle and he seemed more relaxed. "Did you dream?"

"A bit, perhaps. Why?"

"You were talking in your sleep a bit. Well, more like mumbling."

"Oh, dear."

"Don't worry," Clara chuckled. "You weren't making much sense…I think I heard my name in there…and you smiled. Were you dreaming about me?" she asked with that impish grin that he found so very endearing.

"No! No. Of course not," the Doctor denied, blushing hotly, as Clara's delighted giggle bubbled up beside him. He cleared his throat awkwardly and rather obviously changed the subject. "Right then, Clara. Where'd you want to go today?"

"With you? Nowhere, just yet."

"Oh, come on, Clara. I've rested, I'm fine now. And just **_what_** are you wrinkling your funny little nose about?"

"There's something else you've been neglecting while you weren't resting."

"And what might that be?" he demanded in exasperation.

"You could do with a shower and some fresh clothes, mister."

"Excuse me?" he asked, affronted. Catching Clara's expression and very firmly crossed arms, the Doctor raised one arm and sniffed appraisingly. "Oh. All right. Bossy," he added.

"And you love it," Clara replied.


End file.
